20 people have died after testing positive for coronavirus in Hartlepool care homes as new figures reveal almost 400 North East care home deaths
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New figures from Office of National Statistics show a total of 370 people who died in homes across the region tested positive for the virus.
Across England, a total of 6,391 Covid-19-related deaths have been recorded in care homes between April 10 and May 1.
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Hide AdCounty Durham has the most in the region, with 120 confirmed fatalities, followed by Sunderland with 54, and Northumberland with 46.
Stockton has the lowest number, with just 10 confirmed fatalities, followed by Redcar and Cleveland with 14 and Hartlepool with 20.
The news comes as the latest figures from NHS England show a total of 1,115 people who have died in hospitals across the North East tested positive for coronavirus.
Ministers had been criticised for excluding care home deaths from the national figures on Covid-19 fatalities.
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Hide AdAnd operators had raised concerns about failure to test patients who were being returned to homes from hospital for infection before releasing them back into the community.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said last month that the Government was launching a new action plan to tackle the spread of the virus in care homes, with a testing regime for patients due to be released from hospital and increased supplies of personal protective equipment for care home staff, as well as easing the lockdown restrictions which had denied families the opportunity to say their last goodbye to loved ones.
The group reassured families it was doing everything it could to keep residents, patients and staff are as safe as possible.
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Hide AdFigures from the Office for National Statistics on Tuesday, May 5 show there were 370 coronavirus-related deaths in North East care homes between April 10 and May 1. The breakdown is as follows:
County Durham 120
Darlington 32
Gateshead 47
Hartlepool 20
Middlesbrough 30
Newcastle 38
North Tyneside 24
Northumberland 46
Redcar and Cleveland 14
South Tyneside 35
Sunderland 54
Stockton 10